Humidifier for gas engines



Feb. 16 1926. 1,572,886

J. E. CRANDALL ET AL HUMIDIFIER FOR GAS ENGINES Filed Sept. l2. 1921 Patented Feb. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,572,812@ PATENT OFFICE.

JAY E. oRANnALn-or CHICAGO, AND ALBERT ori-GAY, or GLEN ELLYN, ILErNors.

HUMIDIFIER 4Een GAS ENGINES.

Application led September 12, 1921. Serial No. 500,186.

T0 all whom, t may conc-ern.'

Be it known that we, JAY E. @RANDALL and ALBERT OLGAY, citizens of the United States, and residing at Chicago, Illinois, and Glen Ellyn, illinois, respectively, have invented new and useful Improvements Vin Humidiers for Gras Engines, or' which the following isa specification. Y

rlhis invention relates to a. humidifier gas engines by which. water vapori may be delivered to the intake manifold of the engine.

Ve are aware that it has heretofore been p-roposed to deliver water vapor to the manifolds of gas engines, but such delivery is noil desirable, either when "the engine is cold o: when it is running at very slow speeds, for the reason that under both of these conditions a rich fuel mixture isorequired and since the water vapor reduces the richness of the mixture, the vapor should be em Jloyed only after the engine has been heated upland when it is running at least normal speed.

One ot the primary purposes of our invention, therefore, is to provide a. humidifier which will deliver water vapor in requisite quantities to the intake manifold when it is desirable, but which will be thermostatic-ally controlled so that vapor will not be delivered until the engine reaches a4 predetermined temperature, and which will also be controlled by manipulation of the throttle so that vapor will not be admitted when the engine is running at low speeds.

Another object of our invention is to provide a humidifier which will besimple in construction, economical 'to manufacture, easy to install, and one which will not be liable to get out of order but will be efficient and durable for prolonged periods of time. i Other objects and many of the. inherent advantages of our invention should be read` ily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference. to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying dra-win gs.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig.' 1 is a side elevation oft a gas engine equipped with our invention; i

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of our improved humidifier looking toward the lett of F 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar view looking toward the left of Fig. 2; Y

F ig. d is a bottom view of the humidiiier; Fig. 5 is a det-ail ot theatomizing nozzle; and

for i phere through the passage 17.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing' the connection with the intake manifold.v` 1 f 'lVhile our invention may be applied to any type of gas engine, we have shown in Fig. 1 for purposes of illustration merely, well known type of engine including theintake manifold 7, the throttle` control rod 8, and the water circulatingpipes) and 11V of the `water.cooling system. rFliese parts, as well as other parts of the engine, may be of any wellknown or preferredconstruction.

The humidiiieiiproper comprises a easing 12 cored out to provide a lower water `receptacle 13 and an upper chamber 14, the chamber and receptacle being connected by a passage 15, the effective area of which maybe regulated by an. :adjustable needle valve 16.

An air passagelf? also communicates through .75 y I a lateral branch 18 with the chamber 111 and the'eqectiife area of this passage is likewise controlled byan adjustable needlefvalve 19. In order to prevent leakage of any water which Ymight accumulate in the chamberl 14, the lower or intake end of the air passage 17 is equipped with a ball check valve 21, adapted to permitthe entrance of air in` an upward direction but. to preclude reverse flow of liquid from.thepassage.`

.A .valve 22 opening upwardly into the chamber 14 is adaptedto close :both ot the` passages 15 fand 17, the Vvalve beingY nor.-` nially retained aga-inst. its seat by a coiled expansion spring 23interposed between the upper face of the valve and av cao'Qt torming1 a closure for the inaperwend ot the chamber 1l. The stem ot the valve tends downwardly*into the receptacle 13, where it engages the upper tace .ot a guide plate 25 carried by and serving as a guide 'for a. thermostatic element 26 disposed within the chamber.` This eleinentlmay Vbe ot'any"l preferred'construction, but in the present instance is shown as or" the expansiblc bellows type lilled with an expansible liquid so that when the temperature or" the water in the-:receptacle rises, upward expansion ot' the element will lift the valve l22 from lits seat, thereby establishing communication between the chamber 14 and the receptacle i 13 through thepassage 15, and also communication between the chamber and atmos rllhe lower-fend of' the receptaclel is closed Vby a cap Vor plug 271 which carries an adjustable supporting screw 28 upon which the bottom of the` thermostatic element 26 rests.v By adjusting this' screw, which is held in adjusted position by a lock nut 29, the thermostatic element may be adjusted to open the valve 22 or permit it to close at any desired ipredetermined temperature.

The chamber 13 is filled.` WithWater from v the Water cooling system and the Water circulates*through the chamber so that. the

thermostatic element is subjected to: thesame temperature as the temperature ofthe coolingfivater leaving theengine. A pipe l connects the receptacle with the-outlet circulating pipe 1L from the engincblock. and another pipe 32connectsthe'receptacle with the intake pipe 9y leading from the bottom kof the radiator to the engine'block. vlVhen 7 the engine is in operation, vthe. Water Will oW into'the receptacle 13^-tliroughpipe13l andy outwardly therefrom through the pipe 32, thus maintaininga circulation vofl Water through the receptacle; so that the thermostatic element is subjected: tothe temperature ofthe water leaving theengine.

I'Vithin thel lowerr portion ofthe chamber 14, vthere is disposed a removable ring 33 (Fig. 5) upon Whichiismounted an apt-oin-` izing nozzle 34. positioned `to deliver into a passage 35 which is connected by .ai pipe 36 with the intake manifold 7 A suction,

therefor, is exerted through this pipelupon the nozzleal so that air and Water in the chamber ll Will be Withdrawn therefrom,

the Water through the nozzle, and the air" around the nozzle by which the air and4v Water are mixed sot as to provide a vapor i which is delivered intothe manifold..

In orderl that the supply of vapor to the manifold may notbev started until the'v engine has attaineda predetermined speed, I have interposed in the passage 35 a shutoff: plug valve 37 provided at one end with an arm 38 which is connected by a link 39 with the throttle control rod S.V Then the throttle rod is positioned to close or subst-airrtially close the throttle of the engine, the

valve 37 will be closed and the supply of vapor to the manifold Will be 'shut off. As the throttle is gradually opened through manipulation of the-rod. 8, thevalve 37 Will corresponilingly open and When the engine is running at full speed,.thevalve 37 will be fully opened to deliver the maximum ofl vapor. to they manifold. In order to -prevent the passagefl andthe nozzle 34 from` becoming clogged` With sediment or othersolid particles whichl might. enterthe receptacle.l3,'we have interposedinf'the upper portion of the receptacle 18, mesh screen.

ll, as shown onithedrawings.

To insure the proper distribution vof; thei vaporV Within the manifold, We; prefer, in-

tead ofxadmitting* it. directly through ar single opening in thel manifold Wall, to;V

provide the` delivery end off the pipe 36 with a nozzle 42 (Fig. 6) having azseries ofapertures through which the vapory is discharged into the manifold. Connection between the pipe 86 and the manifold may be established through a. coupling member 43 of any preferred construction.

the; operation-of our invention, assuining that theengineis cold, the thermostatic element 26 Will be'Y contracted and the valve 22seat-e'dto closethe passages l5 and 17. The disc 25 serves as. aA guide tov maintain the thermostatic elementl in'upright position. inunication between the humidifier and the manifold will remain shut oft until ther throttle has been opened a suiiicient distancevtoiopen the valve 37.y If this valve is Vopened before the-engine has heated up to a. predetermined temperature, no vapor will be delivered'to thenianifoldlsince the pas-l sages 17 'and lare'still'closedfby the valve It the engine isnoW started, com

As' thel cooling water heats up, how-` esV ever, "and circulates throughr the receptacle 13, as previously explained, the tlieiniostatic element 26. Willi expand, 'thereby lifting:A the valve 22Yfrom its seat against action of the spring 23, and" openingpassages l5 and I7 so that air fromtlie'outside and Water from thereceptacle I3 will. be delivered into thel chamber let. rIlhis air and: Water. will be mixed byV the nozzletiand' delivered asa vaporv to the pipe 36 by which it .is conductedto the manifold, where it is further vaporized and distributed Wit-hin the manifold through the nozzle 42..

It is believed. that the construction, operation and many of the advantagesof: our invention will beunderstood and appreciated fromthe foregoing Without further descripscribed a preferred"embodiment, obviously .the details of construction may be varied within Wide limits without departing from thetessence of the inventionas set forth in the following claims.

1We claim :V

tion, Aand ivhile we have shown and del. An humidifier forinternal vc oiiibustion g engines comprising, afwater chamber, a va` porizing chamber adjacent said'ivater chainber, a vpassage coi'inec'ting said chambers, an air passage entering said vaporizingfchamber and means in said Water chamber conlll ALafrance 3. An humidifier for internal combustion engines comprising, a water chamber, a vaporiZin-g chamber adjacent said Water chamber, a passage connecting said chambers, an air passage entering said vaporizing chamber, means in said water chamber controlled by the temperature of thecngine to open and close both of said passages and manually operable air flow regulating means in said air passage. i

l. An humidifier for internal combustion engines comprising, a Water chamber, a vaporizing chamber adjacent said water chamber, a'passage connecting said chambers, an air passage entering said vaporizing chamber, means in said water chamber controlled by the teniperature of the engine Coop-en and Vclose both of said passages, manually adjustable water flow regulating device in said connecting passage and manually operable air flow regulating means in said Y air passage. n h

5. A humidifier for gas engines, comprising a casing having a Water receptacle in its lower portion, a chamber above said recep-` tacle, a passage connecting said receptacle and chamber, a valve controlling said passage, a thermostatic element in the receptacle for actuating the valve, an adjustable needle for regulating the size of said passage, and an atomizing nozzle connnunicating with said chamber.

6. A humidifier for gas engines, comprising a casing provided with a water receptacle and a chamber thereabove, a passage establishing communication between said receptacle and said chamber, a needle adjustably controlling the size of the passage, a second passage establishing 'communication between said chamber and atmosphere, a needle controlling'the effective area of said second passage, a valve for shutting off both of said passages, a thermostatic element in said receptacle for controlling said valve, and an atomizing nozzle communicating with said chamber whereby air and water delivered to 'said chamber through said passages are mixed. y

T. A humidilier for gas engines, comprising a casing provided with a water receptacle and a chamber, a passage connecting said receptacle and chamber, a valve controlling said passage, a thermostatic element adapted to be actuated by the heat of the engine for opening said valve when the temperature of the engine reaches a predetermined point, manually adjustable means for regulating the flow through said passage, means for atomizing the water delivered to said chamber through said passage, means for conducting said atomiZed mixture to the intake manifold of an engine, and means for controlling the vapor supply.

8. The combination with a gas engine, comprising an intake'manifold, a water cooling system and a throttle control, of a water receptacle connected with the cooling system, an atomizing device connected with said manifold, means controlled by the temperature of the water in said receptacle for regulating the admission of water andaii to said device, adjustable means for regulating the amount of water admitted, and means actuated by said throttle control for regulating the supply of vapor froml said device to said manifold.V

9; The combination with a gas engine in` including a Water circulating system, an in`v take manifold and a throttle control, of a humidifier comprising a water receptacle, a chamber above said receptacle, a passage connecting said receptacle with said cham ber, an air passage leading to the chamber, a valve for closing said passages, a tliermostatic element in said receptacle controlling said valve, a connection between said chamber and said manifold, a valve in said connection, and means whereby said valve is i actuated from said throttle control.

l1. A humidifier for gas engines, comprising a casing providing a water chamber adapted to be connected with the cooling system of an internal combustion engine, a vapor chamber adapted to be connected with the intake manifold of such engine, a water passage communicating with both chambers, an air inlet passage, a valve for closing both. of said passages, .a thermostat in said water chamber and connected to said valve, and

means for regulating the action ofy said thermostat.

l2. In combination with an internal combustion engine, fuel intake means, fuel humidifier means connected therewith and means operative to humidify the fuel in substantially direct proportion to engine speed and temperature.y

13. ln combination with an internal combustion engine, fuel intake means, means in operative relation to said intake means to humidify fuel therein and means automatically operative after a predetermined engine speed and temperature have been reached to thereafter substantially proportionately increase the fuel humidity in accordance with the speed and temperature.

14. In combination with an internal com- Cil bustion engine, .fuel Asupply means, kvfuel` humidifying means vand;humidity regulating means responsive to a predetermined temperature to hnniidify the fuel in substantially direct proportien tov the engine speed. Y

15.' In combination Withfanfinternal combustion engine, fuel intake means, fuel liulnidifying means including an auxiliary Water circulating system connected to said intake means, and nieans responsive to the temperatufe of the Water in said auxiliary system and to a predetermined engine speed to yVary thefuel humidity. n

` JAY E. @RANDALL yALBERT OLGAY. 

